Automobile signal



Jam. 16,1923,

AV ZIA/HERMAN. AUToMoB LE SIGNAL. FILED JAN.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1 if y y ff@ maf/mmf Jian, 16, 1923. Lm

A. ZIMMERMAN. AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.. F1 LED JAN. 26 922 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A. ZIMIVIERMAI\J` AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL. FILED JAN. 26,

Jang. 16,1923.

L w d Patented `lari. 16, 1923.

. ALOIS ZIMMERMANN, OF YAKIMA, VIASHINGTON; HENRY C. KOI-ILS GUARDIAN' OF THE PERSON AND ESTATE 0F SAID ALOIS ZIMMERMANN, INCOMPETENT.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

' Application filed January 26, 1922.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALoIs ZIMMERMANN, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of the United States, residing at Yakima, in the county of Yakima and State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Signals .g and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in devices carried by automobiles and adapted to indicate when the machine is to turn in one direction or the other or when it is to be stopped. l am aware that numerous devices for this purpose have heretofore been devised, but it is the object of my invention Vto provide a simple, compact and inexpensive, yet a highly eficient and desirable signal which may be easily operated.

lith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a signalling device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the internal parts of the device showing the indicators withdrawn into the casing.

Figure 3 is a duplicate of Fig. 2 with the exception that'it illustrates one of the indicating hands in projected position.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view as indicated by line L /l of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a similar view as indicated by line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Figures 6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Fig. 2.

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of the partition plate which is mounted in the casino; and carries the movable parts of the device.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the indicating hands.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates `a comparatively flat casing provided with a detachable back plate 2 which is formed with any suitable means 3 for attaching a license tag thereto, said back plate being also provided with an ap- Serial No. 531,983.

propriate tail light 4. Within the casing 1, is a vertical partition plate 5 whose upper and lower edges are preferably provided with vertically disposed extensions 6 and 7 respectively. One end of the plate 5 is bent laterally to provide a flange 8 which contacts with one end of the casing 1, said flange being here shown as provided with nuts 9 into which screws 10 are threaded to anchor one end of the partition plate in the casing. The intermediate portion of the flange 8 also forms a stop to limit the retracting movement of one of the indicating hands 11, one of these hands being located at one side of the partition plate, while the other is disposed at the opposite side. To limit the retracting movement of the last named hand, a lateral flange 12 is bent from the end of the plate 5 remote from the flange 8 and to anchor this end of the plate, nuts 13 are secured to lateral ears 14 on said plate to receive suitable screws 15.

Spaced outwardly from each side of the partition plate 5, by means of feet 16, secured thereto in any suitable manner, is a horizontally elongated guide plate 17 whose upper and lower edges are bent inwardly towards its outer side to provide guide flanges 18. The flanges 18 of the two plates 17 slidably receive the stamped metal indicating hands 11 as shown clearly in the drawings. The inner ends of these hands strike the flanges 8 and 12 when said hands are retracted. 1When their use is necessary, the hands may be either individually or simultaneously projected (see Fig. through appropriate slots 19 in the ends of the casing 1.

For operating the indicating hands 11, I preferably use the construction shown. Ben tween one of the guide plates 17 and the partition 5, l. position a flat vertically disposed lever 20 which is fulcrumed between its ends to the partition as indicated at 21, while between the other guide plate 17 and the partition 5, I mount a second operating lever 2Oa which is fulcrumed to the extension 7 as indicated at 21, the fulcrum being loca-ted at the lower extremity of the lever. Links 22 are pivoted respectively to the upper ends of the levers 20 and 20n and extend oppositely therefrom, the outer ends of said links being pivoted Vat 23 to other levers 24 disposed at opposite sides of the partition and fulcrumed to the extension (l as shown at 25, the fulcrums being located at the upper ends of these levers 24k. The lower ends oi' the levers 24 are connected by links 26 with the indicating hands ll so that when the levers 2O and 2U are operated in the proper manner, said hands will be projected from the casing through the slots 19, the extent of projection being limited by stops 27 which are preferably stamped outwardly Yfrom the inner-eiid portions of the hands. To return the hands into the casing l when the projecting means is released, I provide suitable springs 28 which are here shown in the fo 1ni oi coiled springs attached at one end to the partition plate o, while their other ends are connected with the upper ends of the levers 2O and 20a.

For operating the levers 20 and 20" to project the hands ll, I provide a pair oi wires or cables Q9 which are linked at 30 to said levers, the connection 8l of one of the links 30 with the lever 2O being below the ulerum 21,0t' the latter, while thepoint 3l" at which the other link 30 is connected with the lever 20L is above its ulcrum 212 This relation of parts and location ot the fulcrums 21 and 2l:L in the manner disclosed, is necessary in order that the operating mechanism for the hands 1l ni'ay act to project said hands irom opposite ends ot the casing` l. The wires or the like 29 are adapted to lead to foot pedals or any other suitable controls within easy reach of the driver, and I have shown a tube 32 for guiding them.

The device is adapted to be mounted on the rear end oi' an automobile, either pleasure `or commercial, and carries the tail light and `license tag, theltormer being so arranged as to 'illuminate the latter in the required inanner as well as to shed its rays upon the indieating hands l1 when they are projected. By projecting the left hand, the drivers oi other vehicles as well as pedestrians are notified that a left-hand turn will be made; the right hand is projected when a. turn is to be made in the other direction, and when the machine is to be stopped, both hands are extended.

Excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed and hence they may well be Jfollowed in the manufacture oif the invention. I wish it understood, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed,L

numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

l. An automobile signa-lling device comprising a casing having a. vertical partition therein, horizontal guides carried by opposite sides oi said partition, oppositely movable indicators at opposite sides oit said partition slidable in said guides, vertical levers iulcrumed to opposite sides of said partition, means operatively connecting the upper ends oit said levers with said sliding indicators, means for normally drawing said indicators into the casing, and a pair oit operating members extendy ing from the easing, oneV ot said operatingI members being connected with one oi' said levers above its fulerum while the other operating member is attached to the other lever below its itulcium,

2. A structure as specified in claim l, the connecting means between the upper ends oi said levers and said sliding indicators comprising inclined levers fulcrumed at their upper ends to opposite sides ot' said partition and linked at their lower ends to said indicaters, and links connecting` said inclined levers to the upper ends ot said first named levers.

3. An automobile signalling device comprising a casing, a horizontal guide mounted within said casing, a horizontallyv movable indicating slide mounted in said guide. a vertical lever in said casing iulerumed below said guide Iand extending` upwardly across the latter, an inclined lever izulciumed at its upper end in the casing above said guide and linked at its lower end to said slide, and connecting means between the upper end ot said said first named lever and said inclined lever, together with means for swinging said first named lever and means :tor returning said slide into the casing after it is projected. j

d.' An automobile signalling device comprising a casing, a horizontally elongated guide plate secured to onelvertieal wall of said easing but spaced slightly from the latter, a sliding indicator supported by said guide plate, a vertical operating lever between said guide plate and said vertical wall and iulcrumed to the latter, connecting nieans between said lever and said indicator, means for normally moving said indicator into the easing, and means tor swinging said lever to project said indicator.

5. An automobile signa-l comprising a ing having vertical ends, a vertical partition mounted iii said easing and having oppositely extending lateral flanges at its opposite ends secured to said casing ends respectively, tlie latter being each provided with a slot adjacent the partition, guides mounted on opposite sides of said partition, horizontally slidable indicators supported by said guides and limited their inward movement by said flanges, spring means tor normally returning said indicators against said flanges, and means for j )rojecting t-lie indi-V cators through said slots.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. v

ALOISv ZIMMERWANN. 

